quelthalasfandomcom-20200222-history
Thalassian Calendar
The Thalassian Calendar is a dating system centered around the founding of the Sunwell, which takes place in year zero. It was likely the primary calendar used within Quel'Thalas for much of its Quel'dorei history, and remains in active use by elements of the Noble Houses of Quel'Thalas and other elements of Sin'dorei society. As interaction with the races beyond their borders increased, use of the King's Calendar grew common for purposes of trade and coordination. Much of Sin'dorei society however remains insular, and the Thalassian Calendar is the primary dating system employed by some among the Noble Houses of Quel'Thalas, and continues to be used by various elements of Sin'dorei society. The calendar draws upon elements of earlier Azsharan Calendars and uses lunar months; its proponents also claim the system accurately measures a year, on average, to within 1/10,000 of a second, which if true places the elven calendar among the most accurate on Azeroth. The Thalassian Calendar is based on the earlier Azsharan Calendar, with the definition of year 0 changed along with the names of some months. Year The current year of the Sunwell is 6,838 as determined by the Magisters of the Sunwell. Abbreviation The Thalassian Calendar is often abbreviated as Y.S. for "Year of the Sunwell". One might speak of the current year as, "6,838, in the Year of the Sunwell." The stylization "Year of Dath'Remar" has been more prevalent in years past, though occasionally appears on formal documents, such as wedding and birth certificates. Months Based on the same lunar cycles as the earlier Azsharan era timekeeping system, the Thalassian Calendar has twelve months in a standard year. The names will be listed below after scholarly review to obtain the most accurate translation of the names of each month, which draw heavily from the High Azsharan the Quel'dorei spoke before the War of the Ancients and contains subtle differences from modern elvish. Elven historian and linguist Entilzha Firesong is researching the Thalassian Calendar in his work for The Reliquary and seeks support in reproducing histories held before the fall through analysis of first person sources such as journals and spellbooks. Interested parties or any with material they wish to donate or sell should contact the Reliquary Southern Chapter. Wobble of the World The Thalassian calendar determines the midpoint of each day by noting the time and elevation of Belore's daily maximum. Typically noon occurs at that time, though adjustments of from fractions of a second to a few minutes can be employed daily to compensate for errors stemming from each year containing a few more hours than is recorded as days, as well as a natural wobble Azeroth seems to possess. Magisters and Astromancers, whom calculate stellar drift, carefully measure each of the four seasonal solstices and calculate the shift from the prior year, scheduling all micro-adjustments for the next quarter. At times drifted time has been allowed to accumulate until reaching a full day's time needing addition or removal, as is common in less complex systems. However the Keepers of the Thalassian Calendar strive to accurately measure each year to within 1/10,000 of a second which cannot be regularly reached or even neared working in whole days. Such "non-standard months" are rare and mostly used to correct errors or periods without proper timekeeping. A number of large adjustments and many small ones were made upon the Sunwell's restoration, with three days added to two years and adjusted daily at noon, successfully returning the calendar's historical accuracy at the end and of the two year realignment period. This practice suggests a high degree of astronomical precision, and may have its roots in earlier Highborne calendars developed with the aid of astrolabes and other powerful tools. The Thalassian Calendar is considered one of the more accurate systems of measuring time as with the manual and flexible nature of adjustments, over the span of several hundred years the average length of each cycle is accurate to within 1/10,000 of a second, according to the astromancers responsible for the calculations and use of non-standard time to "correct" the length of a year, reaching that high level of precision through gradual adjustments over the course of a Thalassian lifespan. The high degree of precision is speculated to relate to Highborne astromancy and the use of astrolabes, though no similar designs are known to exist in Quel'Thalas, the planetary formations topping Thalassian spires likely extend from this tradition, suggesting possibly deeper links to the Azsharan dating system than simply the names of most months. Confirmed Months: (WIP) Anth'air (January) Felo'air (October) Elune'air (December) Prominent Holidays Given the significance of the sun in Thalassian culture, the calendar and position of the Sun is the basis for several holidays and spiritual traditions. Noteworthy calendar-based events are below. This list is nonexclusive, and groups as the Cult of Belore follow a far more extensive system: * Anth'Belore ("New Sun", Winter Solstice) * Lunar Festival (Elunic New Year) * Falah'dor ("Eternal Balance, Spring Solstice) * Quel'belore ("High Sun", Summer Solstice) * Elune'alma (Moon's Eye, Fall Solstice) The year begins on Anth'belore, the first day of winter on which Belore is visible the least in the sky, and begins a period of renewal. The year begins as Belore's presence in the skies gradually increases, a blessing to the Thalassian people. The spring solstice holiday, Falah'dor, was a day to focus on balance and harmony, celebrating the eternal nature of Quel'Thalas and the balance and harmony between nature and arcane the relationship between the Sunwell and Thas'alah made possible. With the great tree destroyed, modern celebrations of Falah'dor often deviate the most from conventional practices, and stands much as a testament to Sin'dorei resolve and capacity to overcome. Quel'belore, the first day of summer on which belore graces the sky for the longest day of the year, is a major religious and cultural festival in Quel'Thalas, with the celebration of the Sun's annual high point continuing in modern Quel'Thalas much as before. The fall solstice holiday of Elune'alma, translated as "Moon's Eye", may relate to the annual harvest moon and its importance to the largely agrarian society of pre-invasion Quel'Thalas. As with the month Elune'air and the recognition (though celebrations are typically limited) of the Elunite New Year, known more widely as the Lunar Festival, may pay homage, as with the name of Silvermoon itself, to the prior veneration of Elune as a deity, or may be simply because the Thalassian Calendar uses Lunar Months based on the Azsharan Calendar its founders knew. The Thalassian calendar, as with many, uses both solar and lunar elements, though celebrations are widely associated with major solar events, the only notable exception being the fall holiday of Elune'alma, which holds its most enduring popularity among the farmers and fisherfolk of Quel'Thalas whom rely on moonlight in quite a literal fashion. Notable Events * (-3,462) Well of Eternity Destroyed * (0) Arrival in Quel'Thalas and founding of the Sunwell * (TBD) Death of Dath'Remar Sunstrider * (TBD) Mid Sunstrider Era * (TBD) Coronation of Anasterian Sunstrider * (2,936) End of Troll Wars * (6806) Scorching of Southern Quel'Thalas (Second War)) *(6822) Coronation of Kael'thas Sunstrider * (6826) Reclamation and Restoration of the Sunwell